Venice

We left Croatia after four lovely days and took a ferry to Venice. Let me be quite clear - I am obsessed with this city. I must return with a lover in the future. Mom, don't be weirded out with my use of the word lover.

Walking from the ferry to the train station we had to stop and ask directions from seven different people. The city is set up in a nonsensical sort of way but the charming nature of it makes up for the frustration you feel.

You understand why I'm obsessed, yes?

At one point I felt like I was having a panic attack. I started to feel shortness of breath and tears came to my eyes because I was so overwhelmed at the beauty of it all. 

We happened upon a square where these two were singing some of the most beautiful opera I've ever heard. He was a local and she was a tourist from Toronto who sings with her husband there. It was incredible! This only happens in movies.

There are too many canals and bridges to count. It is all just so indescribably quaint and beautiful. This city is definitely near the top on my list of favorite places I've ever visited.

I bought a cannoli to eat after lunch and it was cruelly stolen by a brazen pigeon. The little rat swooped in right as I stood to pay the bill. 

Italian men are humongous flirts. I didn't mind.

There is a lot of graffiti in Venice and it's not the artsy kind. Ugh. I will never understand why permanently defacing something so lovely is desirable.

I had my first ever spaghetti carbonara. It was love at first bite. 

Italian hot chocolate with cinnamon - yum!

I had gelato twice in an hour. Normally I would think I was disgusting but in that moment I high fived myself. It was awesome and totally worth it.

Many of the bridges we encountered in Europe had locks on them

When you feed the birds you run the risk of having them attack your face. 

Basically, Venice is magical. Put it on your bucket list!